Re: Family of 3 Relocating

Quoteplindholdt
I have a question regarding what everyone does for health care since there is no individual health insurance?

Thanks

There are many competent and skilled doctors in the VI, and dozens of pharmacies. You don't HAVE to go off island for good care.

I did not think I would have to go off Island for good care only that even routine care is expensive and if you have no health insurance how does one afford even routine care of any kind? Thanks for the responses

Re: Family of 3 Relocating

If you have no insurance and don't get it from your employer, you will not get any unless you are poor and qualify for map.
Lots of people stay here for health care. I'm not sure if there are Dr's for all the specialized fields. The va hospital is in Puerto Rico, we went to Puerto Rico when I had bcbs. The care was excellent and with my Insurance at the time, practically free. We had to pay for hotel food and transportation but got reimbursed for almost all the transportation
Lots of people go back to the states for health care

Re: Family of 3 Relocating

It really is sad that people are told to come here for advice and answers and have a complete smart arse answer for them. Ive been insulted for aaking a detailed question. It just seems some people enjoy acting like they are all knowing and insult those who want to move to the VI's. Like you are something instead of being helpful you come accross as an ahole.

Re: Family of 3 Relocating

No worries, it's all good. Don't be scared off because if you are you shouldn't move here. The people on the message board are just like a neighborhood with all different kinds of people and actually a very small representation of the total population here. I was crucified when I first inquired about moving here many years ago. It made me afraid to even ask a question or post anything for awhile. So funny that the people who I thought were horrible and the meanest gave me the best advice. No one is really trying to be mean or unhelpful but only giving advice to save you heartache and trouble. So many people come here and struggle with no money left to go back home. We all see couples who come here and one goes crazy with drinking or drugs. Or both of them. It happens to the best and well intentioned of people. So easy and acceptable here. School is crazy expensive unless you go to public school or homeschool. Both options are doable except public school is in disarray right now after the hurricanes. Many school sharing one school and all their curriculum destroyed and internet not fully restored. Our islands are still not back to normal, but close. It is beautiful here, laid back but not in anyway less stressful than the states. It is just different stresses. Think about why you want to move here. It is different, slower. But really really think about slower. Everything is slower. Even things you do not want to be slow. I personally think the emergency health care here is 3rd world. Yes, we have good doctors if you can find them word of mouth. Both my husband and son have had health care emergencies that were not addressed at the hospital here and only taken care of in the states. My husbands could have been fatal if I had not been talking to a doctor in the states. I personally know of 4 people who have died here because of the lack of adequate emergency health care. One was simply an asthma attack. If anyone in your family has a serious medical condition, don't move here unless you have meds and a doctor on call to help you. My local friends tell me never go to the hospital unless you will die if you don't and then you will still probably die. Again, this is all my on experience and opinion and others will feel differently. I love living here but it does have it's risks. You need to be resilient. Some of the posters may know the story of a man who did a daysail to Buck island and had a heart attack. It just so happened that another man who was a doctor was also doing a daysail Buck island and had a defibrillator on board and saved his life. Also able to radio for an ambulance to be waiting on shore to get him to the hospital. Those kind of things happen here as well. People help each other here, now more than ever since the hurricanes. Living here is not for the fainthearted.

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